Halo 4: The Return
by Epic Zealot Productions
Summary: A novelization of Halo 4. Chief is back and a new, yet old threat is on the horizon. With bits n' piece of AU.


**First Halo fic, wish me luck.**

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The Voi Memorial, The Voi and New Mombasa Ruins, East African Protectorate, United Federation of Africa, Earth

1867 Hours, March 3rd, 2553

Parisa etched in the Chief's serial number into the wing from a Pelican drop-ship, it took about five minutes for her to finish draw it on. The UNSC Marine walked over to a cliff and saw the ruins of Voi and New Mombasa along with the portal to the Ark. She then looked back to the stage and Lord Terrence Hood, the UNSC Navy's 68th Admiral of the Fleet and British Noblemen, stood on the edge of a stage preparing to give a speech to UNSCDF personnel (including SPARTANs from both Generations II and III were here), Thel 'Vadam (now a high ranking military officer in Sangheili military and diplomatic division), civilians who were invited to remembered people they've lost to the war, hell even President of the United Colonies Ruth Charet and CINCONI was here. He had planned on promoting Master Chief as well but he was on the Aft Section of the Dawn and was presumed dead along with Cortana. There were also 7 marines here for the classic 3-volley-salute to the fallen. He removed his Admiral's cap and put up against his chest and began his speech.

"For us, the storm has passed...the war is over. But let us never forget those who journeyed into the howling dark and did not return. For their decision required courage beyond measure; sacrifice, and unshakable conviction that their fight... our fight, was elsewhere. As we start to rebuild, this hillside will remain barren, a memorial to heroes fallen. They ennobled all of us, and they shall not be forgotten." He put his cap back on and saluted, and the majority present did the same.

"Present arms!" GySgt. Marcus P. "Pete" Stacker, a survivor of both Reach and Halo ordered the 7 marines to fire 3 rounds into the air.

* * *

UNSC _Infinity_, on it's way to Earth

0737 Hours, September 21st, 2555; 2 years before the events of Halo 4

"Tell me about the children," the Interrogator asked in a thick New Yorker accent, "Dr. Halsey?"

"You already know everything." Catharine Halsey told her visitor.

"You kidnapped them."

"Children's minds are more easily accepting of indoctrination, their bodies more adaptable to augmentation; The result was the ultimate soldier, and because of our success, when the Covenant invaded, we were ready." Halsey stated to him.

"Dr. Halsey, you're bending history in your favor and you know it. You developed the Spartans to crush human rebellion, not to fight the Covenant." The interrogator said in a furious tone.

"When one human world after another fell; When my Spartans were all that stood between humanity and extinction," Halsey told him in a challenging voice, "Nobody was concerned over why they were originally built."

"So you feel in the end that your choices were justified." The Interrogator retorted.

"My work saved the human race." Halsey said countering the retort.

"Do you think the Spartans' lack of basic humanity helped?" When the interrogator said this, Halsey look at the man questioning her worriedly.

"What are you after?" She asked the Interrogator, "The others before you were Naval Intelligence but you…you're something else."

"Records show Spartans routinely exhibited mildly sociopathic tendencies, difficulty with socialization the only ones who do good with socializing are Daisy-023, Kurt-051, Naomi-010, and Ralph-103; furthermore…" The Interrogator told her the undeniable facts.

"The records show efficient behavior operating in hazardous situations. I supplied the tools to maintain that efficiency." Halsey countered again.

"Do you believe the Master Chief succeeded because he was, at his core, broken?" The Interrogator asked her, leaving her with a shocked face. It took her moment to finally see where he going with this.

"What does John have to do with this?" Halsey asked, "You want to replace him."

"The Master Chief is dead."

"His file reads 'Missing in Action'." Halsey stated while shaking her head.

"Catherine, SPARTANs never die?" the Interrogator asked her.

"Your mistake is seeing Spartans as military hardware. My Spartans are humanity's next step…" Halsey said in a defiant tone and standing up. "Our destiny as a species. Do not underestimate them. But most of all, do not underestimate…him."

"Well played." He commented, "But what about their pre-conscription families, hmm...I heard most of them either joined the Insurrection or they went missing, such as Chief's." Then he brought up his TACPAD and typed in a command then the vidscreen showed a man with slick black-brown, brown eyes, a bushy mustache, and a suit plus tie with an ONI Badge over his heart.

"Who's this, an ONI agent?" Catherine snickered.

"Yes," Arthur answered her question, "you are looking at ONI Agent Edward Julius Novara, who turned out to be a mole for the Insurrection, see that's a part of the SPARTAN-II program that really bit the UNSC in the ass, more importantly mine, and he was the Chief's father."

"Partner me?" Halsey asked, as she said this the man leaned on the table, she recognized him instantly, "Arthur Cross, so how on Earth did you get to interrogate me."

"You see," Arthur Cross asked her, ignoring her, "he joined the Insurrection in 2543, and four years later, he became a ONI Agent in order to warn his compatriots of upcoming raids, and just a month ago, he almost gave a Innie faction a fully-stocked UNSC Supercarrier."

"What class?"

"_Enterprise_-class, the lead ship in fact," Was what the native of the human seat of government said, "and to make things worse, the _Big E_ had a lot of data, from Project: ORION, the SPARTAN-II Program, the SPARTAN-III Program, and Project: FREELANCER, if they would've gotten a hold of that data, well they would've been on a even playing field, and that would've been bad."

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NEWS REPORTS

"_The occupation of Doisac led by the United Nations Space Command is being seen as a attempt to bring democracy to the divided species..._" News report by the Colonial News Network, describing the allied occupation of Doisac. c. December 13th, 2553

"_Breaking news: just now at 2:34 Earth time, multiple explosions have occurred over at UNSC Supreme HeadQuarters along with more across New York City, and the President has ordered DEFCON 2 to be declared._" IntraSystems News on the 4/19 Bombings. April 19th, 2554.

"_This just in: Fleet Admiral Arthur Cross has revealed that the perpetrators of the attack are a rogue ONI black ops unit called Cerberus, the President Charet said that the terrorists had planning been this attack since December._" BBC News, 4/19 Bombings, c. April 21st, 2554.

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**Four Years Later:**

1237 Hours, July 18th, 2557 (Shipboard Time); 3 days before the events of Halo 4

S-IV Alpha Company Barracks, S-Deck, _Infinity_-class arsenal carrier UNSC _Infinity_ (INF-101), Khaphrae System

Alarms began sound and Spartan-IV Alpha Company's Commanding Officer: Captain Parisa Rezaï came out of her company's barracks only to see Marines, ODSTs, Infinity Science personnel, Sailors, and S-IVs rushing toward's their respective cryobays. She looked around to see if there was someone nearby to tell her what's going on.

"Hey, Marine," Parisa asked a nearby Marine Force Recon member, "what the hell is going on?"

"We're preparing for S—." the marine managed to get out before a synthesized voice spoke over the intercom.

"Captain Del Rio has ordered Emergency Slipspace Protocol to be executed immediately," Einstein the Ship's AI said over the intercom, "prepare for cryo."

Now realizing that the massive capital ship were readying themselves for an emergency slipspace jump to an unknown location, so went back to her unit's barracks. She hoped it wasn't another HALO and so she decided to talk to her XO; 1stLt. Elizabeth O'Conner. She typically wore a suit of Cyan MJOLNER/Recon armor, but her past was quite intriguing to a normal person, considering she's an ex-Project: FREELANCER agent who volunteered for Spartan-IV Program after being asked by Fleet Admiral Arthur Cross to join.

"Hey Beth, what's going on?" Parisa asked the redheaded Spartan-IV.

"Well, I heard this from Palmer and Lasky, we're heading toward the coordinates that the eggheads got from the artifact, but they also told me something else." Elizabeth told her CO.

"Something else?" The former force recon marine said in questioning tone, raising her left eyebrow.

"You are gonna freak out when I tell you this," Beth said excitedly, "we found the other half of the Dawn, that means we found the Chief!"

'John, that crazy bastard is really alive!' Parisa thought, FADM Cross showed her Chief's file which confirmed what Chief said to her New Mombasa, well after the S-II personnel files were declassified in late '53 which in turn stirred up a lot of anti-ONI sentiment.

"CC-Chief is alive." She asked, her voice trembling.

"Yeah, no shit, let's get to our cryopods Captain."

"Okay." Was all Parisa could say. She climbed inside the cryo-pod and drifted into sleep.

* * *

CAS-class assault carrier _Song of Retribution_, In orbit of Forerunner Shield Installation 0001 "Requiem", Omega Ceti System

1237 Hours, July 21st, 2557 (Shipboard Time), 117 minutes before the events of Halo 4

Jul Mdama looked out to the Forerunner Planet below him, this is where the Ur-Didact is resting in his prison, the Forerunner was imprisoned for some reason. He wished he would help him achieve his goal. His motion tracker noticed some enter the bridge of his ship. He turned around and saw the now Fleet Master Avu 'Telcam, he had joined the Storm of the Covenant, a Covenant Remnant faction.

"Supreme Commander the raiding parties have returned with supplies and news of a human ship." He told his superior.

"Human?" Jul stammered out, "were they followed?"

"No," Avu told him, "different approach vector."

Jul looked towards the unmistakable form of a human frigate albeit without it's bow. Jul turned towards his comrade and said: "Prepare the boarding parties, do not let the vermin get into Requiem." Avu saluted and walked off the bridge without another word. If what they is true they may need humans to unlock the shield. The Sangheili looked for the name of the frigate and found it: _Forward Unto Dawn_.

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"_So much has changed since my election in '52, and now I have something special to announce, the UNSC Infinity has found the Master Chief, it's time we returned him the favor he did for not just for Humanity, but the entire galaxy, the crew of our pride n' joy will succeed in bringing our hero home._"

_Champion of Humanity_ speech by the President of the United Colonies Ruth Charet (United Colonies of Earth or the United Earth Government, GFIN Founder); c. July 18th, 2557 (1459 Hours, Earth Time)

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**What do you think so far guys?**


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